If price was not an issue.

I currently have a 15" retina MacBook Pro (mid-2012) that is still going strong, although the battery could do with replacing.

The question is that I was looking to get a new 13" MBP after the refresh as I wouldn't mind a smaller form factor and be able to run 4K at 60Hz etc.. but everyone seems to be complaining about the price. Fortunately I get an education discount as well as VAT exemption on my purchases so the 16GB MacBook Pro with touchbar comes in at around £1500 - not too bad given my 15" cost about £1700 in 2012.

I'm happy with MacOS and don't really want to switch to a windows system. So in short is there any reason for me not to get a new MacBook if all people are complaining about is price? Surely the new form factor and bump in speed is worthy of a slight price premium over a windows laptop at an equivalent cost.

I currently have a 15" retina MacBook Pro (mid-2012) that is still going strong, although the battery could do with replacing.

The question is that I was looking to get a new 13" MBP after the refresh as I wouldn't mind a smaller form factor and be able to run 4K at 60Hz etc.. but everyone seems to be complaining about the price. Fortunately I get an education discount as well as VAT exemption on my purchases so the 16GB MacBook Pro with touchbar comes in at around £1500 - not too bad given my 15" cost about £1700 in 2012.

I'm happy with MacOS and don't really want to switch to a windows system. So in short is there any reason for me not to get a new MacBook if all people are complaining about is price? Surely the new form factor and bump in speed is worthy of a slight price premium over a windows laptop at an equivalent cost.

Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

Which compputer are you going for?

If the non-touch bar 13", note that this has a 15w CPU, your current has a 28w CPU.

If the 13" with touch bar - apart from price, you may find the touch bar gimmicky and useless. Port selection may or may not be an issue. Battery life is yet to be tested as, although the display now uses 30% less energy, the drop of battery capacity from 75kwh to 49kwh will be noticeable if you do CPU intensive tasks which the display won't be able to counteract. There is also the issue of the new keyboard, you may like it, you may hate it - it is worth noting that the previous keyboard was pretty much universally liked. You may not also be happy with the CPU being a year old. The track pad may appear too big. Some of the USB-C ports on the 13" with touchbar are throttled.

I think it's worth it. There are many things that people are not factoring in the price because they take it for granted. Nicer keyboard, nicer screen, better hinge (I played around with it, so much sturdier and smoother), etc.

USB-C ports alone make it worth it. Add the WAYYYY better screen, and HUGE trackpad, and it's a winner. Touch Bar is an added benefit, as is the WAYYYY faster SSD I/O speeds.

Most people here are just whining. I'm a professional (Realtor), and use my Mac for business. I need speed, battery life, and the ability to have a ton of apps open at once (including Photoshop, Acrobat, and occasionally Final Cut Pro X).

The USB-C ports are amazing -- and people are completely just not "getting" it. A USB-C port can be ANYTHING you want it to be with the right cable. Thunderbolt 3? Sure. Thunderbolt 2? Ok. Firewire? Sure. Ethernet? No sweat. Power? Yup! USB3? No problem. VGA? DVI? HDMI? DP? mDP? All the above at once via. a single connection? YES!

Seriously, you're buying a $3000 computer and complaining that you need a new wire or two. If you can't afford a $3000 computer, and a $100 in cables, then don't buy a $3000 computer. Buy a $2900 computer with the $100 in cables instead.

I currently have a 15" retina MacBook Pro (mid-2012) that is still going strong, although the battery could do with replacing.

The question is that I was looking to get a new 13" MBP after the refresh as I wouldn't mind a smaller form factor and be able to run 4K at 60Hz etc.. but everyone seems to be complaining about the price. Fortunately I get an education discount as well as VAT exemption on my purchases so the 16GB MacBook Pro with touchbar comes in at around £1500 - not too bad given my 15" cost about £1700 in 2012.

I'm happy with MacOS and don't really want to switch to a windows system. So in short is there any reason for me not to get a new MacBook if all people are complaining about is price? Surely the new form factor and bump in speed is worthy of a slight price premium over a windows laptop at an equivalent cost.

Thanks in advance.

Click to expand...

If price isn't an issue i'd call out the following;

Can you live with USB-C / Dongles until the market catches up

Try out the keyboard just to ensure it's suitable for you.

No way you can wait 6 months? As Kaby Lake refresh is likely at some point

If the above are fine, i'd say go for it.

If it wasn't for all of the above and price (Well not so much price for me, i can afford it but it doesnt represent enough "value" for me) then i'd snap one up also.

Personally I won't even consider buying one of these now, not because they won't be decent machines, but if I'm going to stretch my budget to allow for such a device I'd like to know I didn't buy the early (old spec) version that was superceded within 12 months.

I'd be livid if I'd purchased the early expensive version with worse specs and within 12 months it'd lost a lot of value because of a mid term refresh and rrp adjustment.

I never used Firewire, so your point is moot. I don't like dongles as they can be lost and they cost quite the penny. Dongles are just a way to nickle and dime you... USB-C isn't widespread.

Oh and just to use those ports I would need to buy 3 dongles of USB-C to USB-A. Yes a Hub could work, but not for all.

Click to expand...

His point is moot because YOU don't use it? What kind of lame ass argument is that? Same with your argument of losing dongles. All of your argument seems to surrounded to one major problem. You. The user error.

His point is moot because YOU don't use it? What kind of lame ass argument is that? Same with your argument of losing dongles. All of your argument seems to surrounded to one major problem. You. The user error.

Click to expand...

Isn't that the point? It's personal preference. For me personally, as an Apple user, I want refined simplicity. I feel it's at the backbone of what an Apple product "IS". The new MacBook Pro represents that, USB-C is definitely the way to go. However, the industry and other devices haven't moved on in that regard.

If I go into a conference room (Which typically has a HDMI or Mini-DP out at a location for an overhead), I simply want to connect to it. I don't want a dongle. There are many uses which simply aren't cured by buying USB-C to X cables, uses which need dongles and it's down to you as a person and your uses as to whether that's an impact.

It seems like the consensus is to wait for the cpu refresh in 2017 - however the question then would be why not wait a further 6 months?! I'd be looking to currently go for the 13" touchbar with 16GB at stock processor (2.9Ghz i5). As explained I'm happy to jump in as an early adopter as the cost is not an issue, but wouldn't want to be dissapointed that in 6 months a 32GB option with quad core would be available on a 13" MacBook. Maybe I'll just hold off and get my battery replaced and live with 30Hz 4K on an external until next year.

[edit] the dongle issue is not a problem as I always travel with a display adapter, network adapter and an extra USB adapter wouldn't bother me. Plus at work I'll likely just have a hub I can plug into. I actually can't remember the last time I needed to put a USB key into my mac!!

His point is moot because YOU don't use it? What kind of lame ass argument is that? Same with your argument of losing dongles. All of your argument seems to surrounded to one major problem. You. The user error.

Click to expand...

Quite the opposite. It's moot it implied I used Firewire which I stated I don't. Lost dongles? Have you read the forums lately? A dongle is not something that only I loose (please note I have ever purchased two dongles and never lost 1). Every member dreads having to carry 6+ dongles in order to make a $1.5k+ machine "work". More dongles means more chances of loosing one. Only someone who is closed minded does not see this.

WolfSnap said:

Buy a new USB-C to USB-A/B wire. Problem solved. No dongle needed.. Just a new wire. They're like $5 at most on Amazon.

Click to expand...

Anything that transforms one port to another is a dongle, regardless of length of cable, it is a dongle. Also, $5 is still $5. I fail to see why I should fork over $5 for something a $1.5k machine should have.

Personally I won't even consider buying one of these now, not because they won't be decent machines, but if I'm going to stretch my budget to allow for such a device I'd like to know I didn't buy the early (old spec) version that was superceded within 12 months.

I'd be livid if I'd purchased the early expensive version with worse specs and within 12 months it'd lost a lot of value because of a mid term refresh and rrp adjustment.

Click to expand...

Those multiple sources are all quoting the same person. It's not exactly speculation either, of course a newer model will be out, likely in 12 months time, as happens every year. It will be slightly faster, and possibly slightly cheaper. But you have to look at Intel's roadmap with this one. I highly doubt they would be able to do anything by next March, and next year will probably be iMac/Mac Pro updates. So personally I don't think you'll see updates until March 2017, when the chips are mature or ready to put in them.

So yes, you can wait and inevitably there will be a newer model out, however what would stop you waiting after that for the next model, then the next...

As for 32GB of RAM they'd need a much more power efficient processor to pull that off, so Kabylake stuff, which could be feasible for late next year. But given the situation with the powers that be it's more likely they'll hold off till March 2017, get back on the regular schedule of updates, and avoid upsetting masses of people.

Also, if you do wait for 32GB of RAM, expect to pay an insane amount for it, similar to the 2TB SSD option now. You'll wait 18 months for this update, then see $1000 RAM upgrade, and wish you'd just brought one now.

Anything that transforms one port to another is a dongle, regardless of length of cable, it is a dongle. Also, $5 is still $5. I fail to see why I should fork over $5 for something a $1.5k machine should have.

Click to expand...

I've personally never heard anyone refer to a USB-A to USB-B cable as a dongle. "Printer cable" maybe, but never a dongle. I also don't see anyone calling a USB-C to USB-B cable a dongle either.

Second half of next year there will be a refresh: slightly better specs and maybe slightly cheaper. This will happen every year, unless something happens like Intel/AMD/Apple creating delays for any reason (see how long we had to wait for the current refresh).

So, at the end of day, the best time to buy a laptop is when you need one. Don't overthink too much about the future imho. If you can wait 9-12 months, that's fine, it basically means you don't really need a new laptop now.

As has been said, IF there is a spec bump and cost reduction in 12 months time, there will only be another the following year which may be 'worth waiting for', and the year after and the year after that.

Simple answer is - if you can afford the new one, and you want the new one, then get the new one.

If the cost is too much for you, or your need for legacy ports or older-style keyboard outweighs any desire you may have for the new machine, then don't.

The new machine is better in many ways than the outgoing model, with the above caveats. The negativity is OTT in my view and will soon die down as people actually get their hands on them, I suspect.

The USB-C ports are amazing -- and people are completely just not "getting" it. A USB-C port can be ANYTHING you want it to be with the right cable. Thunderbolt 3? Sure. Thunderbolt 2? Ok. Firewire? Sure. Ethernet? No sweat. Power? Yup! USB3? No problem. VGA? DVI? HDMI? DP? mDP? All the above at once via. a single connection? YES!

MacRumors attracts a broad audience
of both consumers and professionals interested in
the latest technologies and products. We also boast an active community focused on
purchasing decisions and technical aspects of the iPhone, iPod, iPad, and Mac platforms.